What Does Fate Know, Anyway?
by StoriesThatNeverWere
Summary: Daphne is getting married! But not to Fred! Will he realize his feelings before it's too late? And as Daphne reflects, does she realize that she really does love Fred back? FD, some DS, SV. COMPLETE!
1. What Become Of Jack and Diane

**_Hey,_**

_**I usually don't believe in these kinds of stories, as they are far-fetched, but they are quite popular, and very enjoyable fables. I hope you enjoy this as well. And unlike most, I won't say things like, "I NEED 10 MORE COMMENTS TO CONTINUE". As long as the comments are constructive, and honest, I can post any time. I love writing, and I hope you enjoy my tales. **_

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**_Song_**

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"_Mmm. MMM. Mmm, mmm… Mmm. MMM. Mmm, mmm…" _The organ's tune echoed throughout the church halls. The couple being wedded had agreed months ahead on gold and red as their decorating colors. And oh, was it beautiful. The walls were champagne color coated, while the church seats were as gold as the true mineral itself. The carpet and banners were scarlet, as were the roses placed on the end of every chair. Two transparent, sparkling chandeliers finally perfected the scene to dazzle friends and family of the future newlyweds. Overall, a very expensive marriage.

More then three hundred people had shown up for the wedlock of one of the famous Mystery Inc's members, Daphne Blake. The announcement of her engagement had come only weeks before. The lucky man was Jacob Burns, the state's most eligible bachelor, as well as a great comedian. Not only was he handsome and rich (if that's not enough), he was also one of the Top 10 most charitable celebrities in the country. Everywhere he went, he would be doing volunteer projects and charity fund raisers. If there was such thing as a perfect guy, he would be it.

With 25 minutes left till her big entrance, Daphne Blake felt the sickness within her stomach maximize with each passing tick. She felt herself being pampered by professional groomers, though she felt uncomfortable with people sitting on the floor, fluffing her dress.

The 19-year-old problems vanished in a smoke puff as she sighted two of her closest friends, and her favorite dog, entering the service area.

"Hey!" Velma Dinkley greeted Daphne with a big hug, and even larger grin. "I can't believe you're getting married today! AH!" Both girls squealed. Velma wasn't much of a girly girl at all; in fact, she was extremely intelligent and had her auburn hair boyishly cut, but it was her best friend's wedding day, and she couldn't have been more gleeful.

"Like, if you aren't the prettiest thing in a million miles!" Said a slender, boy teenager, who had known Daphne for years.

"Oh, Shaggy, you are so sweet!" Daphne stretched her arms around him, and hung there for a few seconds.

"No," he pushed her gently away, and cupped her head in his hands, "I'm truthful. No one deserves this more then you, as long as you promise to come back to Mystery Inc. after your honeymoon."

"Of course I will! After the trip, Jacob is heading to Iraq for several weeks to do some shows, and we both agreed that we can keep our jobs, and still love one another. I really didn't know if we could do it, but thinking about the challenge, I feel fearless! And hopeful."

Shaggy smiled and kissed Daphne for a while longer then Jacob Burns would have liked, but he didn't care. He loved her as his best friend, and having her become betrothed was such a moving experience. He felt water sog his eyes.

"Ahem," Velma said too loudly. She immediately felt redness come to her cheeks.

Daphne turned to the genius woman. "Velma, what was that?"

"You're getting married, remember?" was her joking excuse.

Daph stepped back, and kneeled to the ground. The women lacing her dress gave her a cold stare. She stood back upright.

"Ri'll riss rou, Raphre!" Scoobert "Scooby" Doo, the Great Dane, cried.

"Oh, I'll miss you too, Scooby. But I'll be back in a week, I promise." Scooby looked up and licked her hand. "Besides, we have the reception afterward! And that means wedding cake!"

"Wedding cake!" Shaggy and Scooby chorused. Daphne felt herself being pushed from behind. "Come on, Daph, no bother wasting time!"

"Hold on, Shaggy. We still have time." She felt herself being crowded again by her maids. "Besides, where's Freddy?" She spoke of another extremely close friend. Fred Jones and Daphne were the ones to create Mystery Incorporated.

Velma and Shaggy gave each other "that look". The one that means they know something you don't. Something you don't want to know. But Danger-Prone-Daphne wasn't going to let it slip by.

"What is it? Is Fred okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, he's okay." Velma answered.

"But, uh… well, he's…" Shaggy slurred. "He isn't… uh, he's not…er, exactly… coming."


	2. Me, Myself, and Her

"_**WELCOME LIONS, THIS IS FOR YOU!"**_

"_**SO LISTEN UP, AND YOU'LL KNOW THE TRUTH!" **15 girls yelled a cheer to the opposing football team._

**_  
"WE'RE HERE TO PUT YOU TO THE TEST."_**

_**  
"WE WILL CONQUER 'N DEVESTATE ALL THE REST!" **16-year-old Daphne Blake leapt from her people pedestal and flipped gracefully through the air. Her blue and silver cheerleader uniform blurred into a perfect technicolor ball. _

"**_THE SHARKS TRADITION WILL LAST FOREVER!" _**

"_**YOU THINK YOU'RE GOOD?" **Seven of the girls shouted at the top of their lungs._

"_**OUR TEAM IS BETTER!" **The other half cocked._

"**_US? SECOND BEST?" _**

"_**HECK, NEVER!" **The girls threw their pom-poms in the air, starting with the far right and going left like dominoes. _

_**  
"JUST STEP ASIDE!" **All the girls slid to the right._

"_**AND SAY BUH-BYE!" **They blew kisses and waved. _

"_**CAUSE WE'RE NUMBER ONE FORRR-EEVVVERR! WHOO!" **The girls all jumped up and down, and waved to their teammates. _

Fred Jones sat right in front of the television set, watching old videos of high school. This one was of Daphne's junior year as team captain.

The camera then switched to the field, where Fred stood in a crouching position.

"_Down! Set… HIKE!" The center pitched it to him, and within an instant, Jones' wonderful arm had the football sailing across the field. The tide-end, Josh Cra-something, had escaped from the wrath of the Lion's blockers, and was far down the field. He cradled his arms, and the ball seemed to magnetize right into them. The crowd roared with pleasure as the senior crossed the white touchdown line._

Shaggy, who was running the camera, started hooting, and once again aimed towards the cheerleaders.

**  
_"ON YOUR MARK, GET READY!"_**

"_**CAUSE HERE COMES FREDDY!"**_

"_**JONES IS OUR HERO!"**_

"_**WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR, OH!" **_

"_**WATCH OUT, LIONS!"**_

"_**BECAUSE WE ARE FLYING!" **Daphne and some other girl were tossed into the air, and landed perfect splits, parallel each other._

"_**YOU GUYS ARE SOO DEAD!"**_

"**_BECAUSE WE'VE GOT FRED! WHOO-HOO!"_**

"_We love you, Freddy!" Called Daphne towards the field._

"Yeah, right! If you love me so much, why are you walking down the aisle with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Rich?" The blonde-haired teen stopped the tape. He wasn't jealous. He wasn't. It just bothered him that Daphne could just come up to him, one day, show him her ring, and tell him she was engaged to be married! He thought he meant more to Daphne then that.

"**Why are you complaining?" **Fred mentored himself allowed**. "She asked you what you thought of Jacob. And you said, and I quote, 'He's certainly a charmer.' Why didn't you just tell her that you thought he was using you?"**

"It's called being nice! Besides, Velma and Shaggy like him. So why can't I, also?"

"**Because your relationship with her is different then theirs." **

Fred was confused with his conscience. "We are all best friends."

"**Why do you like Daphne as a 'friend'?"**

"How can't I? She's… calm…… funny….. sweet….. honest… sporty, yet girly… smart, collective, talented, intriguing, casual, quick, fu…"

"**And now, what is wrong with any of those traits?"**

"… Nothing."

"**How about physical appearance? Do you think she's nice looking?"**

Fred was now very appalled. He had never really thought about Daphne's outer appearance. He had always seen her as his best friend. "Well, um… yeah, she's… nice looking."

"**Is that all?" **Where was all this coming from?

"No… She's cute, too. She has silkiest red hair, and the cutest little nose. Her fashion sense is always amazing, so everything she wears is great. Uh," he felt so weird saying this. It was his best friend!

"**She is not your best friend, you moron! Think about everything you just said about her. You didn't list one bad trait, and you can't stand the fact that she's getting married. You are jealous! You are in love!"**

"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH DAPHNE BL… I am not in lo-o… I'm…" Fred's eyes widened and his mind raced. His lips parted and his stomach flattened.

"Oh, my god. Oh, my god." The 20-year-old ran his fingers through his hair. "I love Daphne."

The boy stood up, and before considering what he was doing, he ran out the door. He had to stop that wedding! Nobody would marry Daphne, except for him!


	3. Old, New, Borrowed, and Very Blue

"Oh," Daphne felt the rock in her heart sink through towards her stomach. "Uh, he couldn't make it?"

"Yeah, he said he had something to do… that he couldn't prevent."

"Oh," the bride-to-be repeated herself. _Why is he doing this? He knows how important it is for me that he be here! He has to be here! _The teenager felt her emotions flip upside-down. "Why didn't he mention this last week?"

"It was probably last minute," Shaggy tried to improvise, but he knew that it wasn't the truth.

"Do you have your old, new, borrowed, and blue items?" Velma didn't want her friend to be upset.

"I do."

"Not yet, Daph," Shaggy joked.

"Ha ha. I have your new hair clip, Velma." Daphne showed the pin attached to her hair, though it would be hidden by her veil.

"I borrowed your pocket-sized-cookbook, Shaggy."

"What!" He looked hurt. "Alright… but like, I need that back after the reception." Shaggy was well-known for his large eating habits.

"And," Daphne smiled at Scooby. "I have your blue dog tag," it hung from a chain on her neck. It smelled really bad, but that sort of made it special.

The organ music grew louder, signaling that the wedding was about to begin. "What's the new thing that you have?"

The red-head dipped her hand into her right sleeve, and reappeared with an orange cloth.

"Red's rascot?" Scooby spoke in his dog accent.

"His first one. Fred gave it to me when he was fourteen. It was my goodbye present for when I went to camp for the summer. We wrote each other every day. Twice, on Sundays, because it would always rain that day, and we'd be bored." Daphne gave a small smile at the memory. Fred would always be close to her heart, even if he wasn't there that day.

"Hey," Charles Burns, Jacob's father, popped his head into the doorway. "We need the flower girl."

Shoogy, Shaggy's 6 year old sister, straightened out her beautiful yellow dress, and practiced throwing her flowers. She then giggled, and began walking down the aisle. Flashes from cameras and ahs and oohs came from the wedding guests. Shoogy put on the drama, as she dipped low every time she tossed the petals.

"The bride's maid is next!" Velma straightened her back, and walked casually down the lane. Her slinky red dress was spaghetti strapped and glittered from the chandelier's reflection. The teen blushed at cat-calls from some of her college friends. She reached the alter, and took her place on the stairs.

Then came the ring bearer, who was five-year-old Johnny. He seemed fine until he reached about halfway towards his destination. He tripped over the edge of a rug that had scuffed up. The ring rolled into the seating area, and poor Johnny hit the floor with a thud. While some people searched for the ring, others went to help the crying child.

Shaggy, who had taken his seat already, was the first one to reach the youngest Burns child. The teenager leaned in and whispered something to Johnny. The boy shook his head the first time. But when Shaggy leaned in again, the ring bearer sprung up like a daisy. Quickly he made his way to the head of the church.

Once the ruckus had calmed down, and the ring recovered, Velma mouthed to Shaggy, '_What did you say to him_?"

The man smiled boyishly. "_I told him that the carpet was possessed by an evil spirit!"_

Velma tried not to giggle, though Shaggy always had a way of making her laugh.

_Dmm, dmm-dmm-dmm DMM. Dmm, dmm, dmm DMM._

Everyone stood up, as beautiful Daphne began her way down the road to marriage. She wore a glossy, white gown that grew transparent as it reached towards her hands. It expanded out at her wrists. She looked slightly silly with a dog tag hanging from her neck, but she really didn't care.

Carrying her train, in his mouth, was none other then Scooby-Doo.

Once beside her fiancée', and Scooby by Velma's side, Daphne nodded to the priest. He fiddled with his glasses, and then started. "Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to bind Jacob Burns and Daphne Blake in holy matrimony. Before we begin, is there anybody here who has reason to oppose to these two getting married?"

There was silence for several seconds, and just as the priest opened his mouth…

"YES!" Many gasped, as Fred Jones opened the large doors, and appeared tall and sweaty. "You are not getting married, Daphne!"


	4. Second Thoughts

Guests whispered and pointed and gasped. Daphne couldn't believe her eyes. She had wanted Fred at her wedding, but sitting and watching, not opposing.

"Um, would you please excuse me for a moment, please?" The possible-bride touched her love's shoulder, and trudged down the aisle. She grabbed Freddy's wrist, and pulled him into the service area. She secured the secrecy by closing the doors.

"Fred, what are you doing?"

"We were fourteen. You went away to camp, and we wrote each other every day. Except, every time I went to send a letter, Red Herring would be at the mailbox. He would tease me and say that I loved you. I kept telling him that you were my best friend."

"Freddy, why are you…"

"On our senior year, we had our prom; I went to the dance with Sarah Rogers, and you went with Bryan Caleb. We danced with our partners the whole night, and barely got a word in with each other. Yet, Julie Cameron announced that you and I were the king and queen of the dance. After our dance, people insisted that we were the cutest couple ever. Once again, I told them you were just my best friend."

"What is the point of this?"

"Last year, at our graduation, we were called "The two that would be together forever." And again, I called you my best friend."

Daphne took a gander at what he was trying to prove. "Yes, we have been together for a long time. And that's why I'm so glad you're here!" She smiled. "But you didn't have to make such a dramatic entrance."

"Daphne, have you ever considered that so many people said we'd be perfect together because it was actually true?"

"No, it was because I was cheerleading captain, and you were the football star."

"Daph," Fred placed his hand on hers. "You are not my best friend anymore. You are my love. You are the girl that I have been with since I was three. You are the one that I love falling asleep to movies with. You are the one I want to be with…forever. Forever. You are perfect, absolutely perfect, and beautiful, and strong."

The girl felt her eyes widened. She inhaled deeply, but still felt out of breath. "Freddy, we can fall asleep watching movies any time. But still as friends."

"I've been just your friend for so long, because I thought that you would never leave me. But now that you're getting married, we won't be doing those things any more. You won't be there for me, and we won't be called the best couple. When we were younger, I never had to worry about you going away. But now, you will. I need you to stay here! I need you to be with me."

"Freddy, you don't want me to be your love: you just want me to be here all the time."

"NO!" He thundered, and took her head in his hands. "I know everything about you! I admit, that just a half hour ago, I didn't know how I felt. We have been so close that I never considered us as more then what we've had. But think about it: we care about each other more then anything in the world, and we are together at least 18 hours of the day! We risk our necks for each other in mysteries many times! That's love!"

"Here," Freddy wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed her head against his shoulder. "Feel this! This is what it is to be held by someone who loves you!" Fred smelled her hair, and closed his eyes, begging that she would understand.

But Daphne was not swooned. She lifted her head. "We are not lovers. We are great friends. And you are right that I care about you a lot, but the love of my life is standing outside, waiting for me. I… I have to go." She turned. But before exiting the room, she felt something slip from her sleeve. It was Fred's old ascot. She looked at it, lying on the floor. She bent down to pick it up, but met someone else's fingers there.

"You kept this?" The blonde-haired hunk questioned.

"Of course I did. It was my reassurance that I would still have friends when I returned home from camp." She held it gently in her hands. She stared at it for many moments before speaking.

"I'll miss you. While I'm on my honeymoon."

"Yeah, right. You'll have Saint Jacob there with you. You'll forget I exist."

"I will not, and you know it!"

"Oh, come on, Daph!" He was now yelling. "It's clear now that you don't actually care about me! If you did, you'd be willing to stop this, and we could talk it over! But no, I was fun to be around as kids. But you have a husband, and he will all you think about!"

That was it. Daphne Blake had had enough. "HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME TO DO THIS?"

"… What?"

"How can you expect me to just walk out there, and tell everybody that the wedding is off? Especially, because I have strong feelings for the man in the tuxedo! And how the heck can you waltz in here and expect me to just give it all up for you? I do love you, Freddy, but I am getting married! I am MOVING ON!"

"You just said you loved me," Freddy had lowered his voice.

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did. And you said that you had 'strong feelings' for Jacob!"

Daphne curled her lips under her teeth. She felt tears expose themselves. Several fell from her eyes. "Even if I did love you…"

The sound of shuffling came from the hall. People were getting restless.

Daphne felt her heart grow smaller. She whispered low. "It's too late."

"Too late?" The boy repeated.

"I'm getting married to Jake. We are going to be happy together." She continued, "Oh, gosh, why now! Why not yesterday? Why not months ago! Why couldn't you have told me before? I might have… _then_… done something."

"You can still do something, now." Fred grabbed her shoulders. "We can still be together forever!"

"Freddy," Daphne touched his face, "we lost. We didn't make it. I have given my heart to Jake, and I can't get it back. I'm sorry," she began stepping backwards. "Please be happy for me. We will still always be as close as we are."

"God!" Fred fumed. He stood there for a minute, eyes at the wall.

Finally, he looked at his love. "Fine."

"Fine?" She hadn't expected that.

"As long as you can honestly go out there, and swear that you love him with 100 of your heart, I won't interfere. Have a nice life!" The teenager stormed away, leaving the distraught girl alone in the room.

Daphne stood there, thinking about absolutely nothing. Then, clicking back to the present, she spun around and walked, again, through large doors. People hushed, wondering what was going to happen.

"Everything okay?" Jacob whispered.

"Um, yeah." Daphne just couldn't believe what had happened.

The priest opened his book once more, and continued, though Daphne was hardly paying attention

_I told Freddy I loved him, _she thought to herself. _Why did I do that? I love Jake, _she looked at her fiancée and smiled. He was apparently making his vow. But by the time she had tuned in, he was finished, and it was her turn.

"I, Daphne Blake, take you, Jacob Burns, to be my mate in life, to share memories with, and to love for all eternity." _I really wish Fred wouldn't be such a drama king! _"Though we've only known each other for a couple months, I feel like I've known you for all my life." _Fred really has gotten to me. I look at Jacob and see him. But I'm not marrying Freddy. I am not, and that's how fate predestined it to be._

"Do you, Jacob Burns, take Daphne Blake as your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for richer or poorer, through sickness and health, till death do you part, for as long as you both shall live?"

Brown haired, green eyed Jacob gave an award-winning grin. "I do."

_Fred is too late, though. I love Jake._

"And do you, Daphne Blake, take Jacob Burns to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for richer or poorer, through sickness and health, till death do you part, for as long as you both shall live?"

The matured teenager opened her mouth to speak, but was held back. She felt a warmness suddenly heat up her palm. She rubbed her fingers against Fred's ascot, which had fallen from its place in her sleeve.

It reminded her of how wonderful Fred had been and was, and the great memories she had had with him. The precious times when she considered her relationship with him, and the sacred times when she was fast asleep at his side (fallen asleep to a movie).

_What am I going to do? _Suddenly, she was petrified. _Why does he have to play games with me?_

Daphne exhaled, and looked an awaiting Jacob straight in the eyes. She knew what was right; she knew what her heart wanted. She, once again, made an O with her mouth, and spoke………


	5. When She Loved Me

"_Cause you had a bad day, you're taking one down. You sing a sad song just to turn it around! You say you don't know. You tell me…"_

"Oh, shut up!" Fred kicked the jukebox in anger.

"Hey!" The man behind the diner counter warned him. "Easy with the equipment."

Fred, after escaping from the chapel, had went a few doors down to a new local restaurant.

He sat at one of the stools near the counter, and covered his eyes with his hands.

"Looks like you're having a hard time."

"Well, I just realized that the girl I've been friends with all my life is the woman I love more then anything, but this happens to be the day she's getting married."

"Ouch! A bit late there, aren't we?" Fred gave him a look, as if to say, 'duh'.

"Here," the bartender sat a small glass in front of him. "Scotch, on the house."

"No thanks." Not only was he still under-age, he didn't like the taste all together. "Get me a Roy Rogers."

The waiter went to make his drink, and Fred took this time to change the song playing. He pulled 50 cents from his pocket, and began surfing through the music options. He found a song he knew well, that also happened to fit his life at that moment. The piano did it's intro for a few seconds, until Sarah McLachlan began singing.

"_When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful. Every hour we spent together, lives within my heart…"_

"Hey, bud. Here," the diner man placed the cherry sprite on the counter. Freddy sipped it loudly, and quickly. He then signaled for a refill.

_Through the summer and the fall: we had each other, that was all._

"Thanks," Jones drank his next soda slower. He felt like attempting drunkenness from cherry juice.

_Still I waited for the day, when she'd say "I will always love you."_

While taking a breath between glugs, the teenager felt a vibration coming from inside his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone, and frowned at the name on the caller i.d.

_DAPHNE_, it flashed.

"Hello?" He answered against his better judgment.

There was no voice at the end of the line. Just silence.

Fred had known Daphne almost his whole life. And he knew what the quietness represented. "You got married, didn't you?"

More of nothing. This was the sign that he was correct. Fred felt the last shred of hope disperse like smoke.

"You know what, Daph? I'm glad for you. Really. And to show my happiness, I'd like to make a toast to you." Freddy pulled the cell phone away from his ear, and immediately dropped it into his Shirley Temple. He watched it gradually sink, and then blacken out all together.

That was it.

It was over.

For good. Forever.

_When she… loved… me………_

THE END

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**Well, what do you think? I cried writing this. Daphne and Freddy belong together more then chocolate and peanut-butter. But this fic was supposed to make you upset. I hope it did. And, in case there is any confusion, yes, Daphne did marry Jacob.**

**Comment, and tell me you hate the story! Or at least, say that you liked the story but hated the outcome.**

**Yours in writing,**

**Song**


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